SB Nation Pittsburgh: All Posts by Aaron Hawleyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2012-03-15T08:00:43-04:00https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/authors/aaron-hawley/rss2012-03-15T08:00:43-04:002012-03-15T08:00:43-04:00West Virginia Vs. Gonzaga: 'Eers Face 'Zags To Start 2012 Tourney Run
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<p>Well, folks, it all comes down to this: win and keep the season alive, lose and go home. For a Mountaineer team that was as frustrating this season as it was fascinating, literally anything can happen. I wouldn't be surprised by a WVU run to the Sweet Sixteen, nor would I be perplexed by a blowout loss against Gonzaga.</p>
<p>West Virginia fans have to be happy about their team's draw in the NCAA tournament. Playing just 70 miles from home in the Consol Energy Center, the Mountaineers can expect to be greeted by a sea of gold when they take the court tonight. Will it be enough for WVU? Hard to say, but at this point in the year, anything can happen. There are no more surprises for WVU fans, and if you've read these previews all season long, it may seem like a broken record. That said, the Mountaineers are their own greatest rival, and if they can avoid the pitfalls that have slowed them during the season, they could make a lot of folks in Morgantown really, really happy. Here are the keys to the game:</p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can Truck light it up?</b> Simply put, when Truck Bryant goes for more than 15 points, the Mountaineers win. Less than that, and they lose. WVU, despite its freshmen having a full season under their belts, is still a three-man team. No one has been more frustrating than Bryant, but when his outside shot is dropping, he's a huge factor in the Mountaineers' success. It will also be crucial for Truck to get to the line early and often, where he's been WVU's most skilled three-point shooter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can Kilicli and Rutledge hold the paint?</b> Gonzaga is led into battle by seven-foot senior center <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/29773/robert-sacre">Robert Sacre</a>. While Sacre may try and slow Kevin Jones on defense, when the 'Zags have the ball, he'll probably be marked by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101439/deniz-kilicli">Deniz Kilicli</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/144195/dominique-rutledge">Dominique Rutledge</a>. Hopefully DoMo and the Turk can keep him in check and off of the glass, without putting themselves on the bench with foul trouble. If that can happen, then WVU's front line will make things a lot easier on the rest of the team. Conversely, if these two are plagued with early fouls, it could be KJ against the world, and that seems to never work out.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Will KJ be KJ?</b> Of course he will. I have no reason to believe he'll have anything less than 20 points and 10 rebounds. If he has any less, it will be next to impossible to win. That said, Kevin Jones is as consistent of a Mountaineer as any in my lifetime, so I'm not sweating it. There are justifiable concerns about every other member of the Mountaineers, just not No. 5.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can the team focus on the task at hand?</b> The entire state is looking ahead to a potential Saturday match-up against Ohio State. West Virginians tend to have a bit of "little brother syndrome" when it comes to OSU, so state residents are salivating at the chance. The team had better be focused on the task at hand, because if any Mountaineer looks past the 'Zags, it's possible they'll watch Ohio State from the couch on Saturday.</span></li>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/3/15/2871689/west-virginia-vs-gonzaga-eers-face-zags-to-start-2012-tourney-runAaron Hawley2012-03-07T08:50:54-05:002012-03-07T08:50:54-05:00Big East Tournament 2012: Mountaineers Begin Final Big East Tournament
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<p>Well, it's all come down to this, the first of two one and done tournaments which will go a long way towards whether or not Mountaineer fans consider this to have been a successful season. Here's what I'll be watching as I try and act like I'm working:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Extra motivation?</b> There has been plenty talk coming out of the Mountaineer locker room about both real and perceived snubs in the Big East postseason awards. Truck Bryant thinks he should have been higher than third team all conference, which is debatable. Kevin Jones deserved both a unanimous first team selection AND the conference player of the year, both of which went to Marquette's Jay Crowder. That's a travesty. So there's plenty of talk about respect amongst the Mountaineers right now, the just may be motivated enough to go out and earn some.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can Truck lead the way?</b> Truck is the key player. Kevin Jones will be Kevin Jones. The freshmen will be freshmen. As Truck goes, go the Mountaineers. He's played well in the last two contests, and hopefully that's the sign of an impending hot streak to come. If the senior guard can turn it on, there could be a lot more Mountaineer games in the next few weeks. If he can't, it'll be one and done... twice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Who holds the paint?</b> Obviously, Jones is a huge part of the equation inside for the Mountaineers but he can't do it alone. For the Mountaineers to back down the Huskies, both <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101439/deniz-kilicli">Deniz Kilicli</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/144195/dominique-rutledge">Dominique Rutledge</a> will have to play well for WVU. Rutledge has turned it on in the last few weeks, but Kilicli has been heading in the opposite direction. If they can get a decent balance of scoring, defense and rebounding out of those two, the Mountaineers should have success today.</span></li>
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<b><i>For more on the West Virginia Mountianeers, stay tuned to SBNation Pittsburgh and </i></b><a href="http://thesmokingmusket.com" target="_blank">the Smoking Musket</a><b><i>.</i></b>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2012/3/7/2851301/big-east-tournament-2012-mountaineers-begin-final-big-east-tournamentAaron Hawley2012-03-03T14:15:41-05:002012-03-03T14:15:41-05:00West Virginia Vs. South Florida: Bryant's Perfect Day At The Free Throw Line Leads 'Eers To Victory, 50-44
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<p>The Mountaineers went into South Florida needing a win, and got one, 50-44.</p>
<p>More surprisingly, they won the game at the free throw line, something WVU has struggled with all season. Truck Bryant had a perfect 12-12 day at the line including a series of game icing free throws down the stretch. Truck finished with 16 points. Bryant turned it on in the second half, giving the Mountaineers the lead on a circus shot with just under seven minutes left in the game. From that point on, the Mountaineers would never trail, despite letting the Bulls tie the game twice, including on a big three-pointer from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101760/toarlyn-fitzpatrick">Toarlyn Fitzpatrick</a> with three minutes remaining.</p>
<p>WVU dug itself out of that hole, and any other problem it faced, by using tenacious defense to shut down the Bulls in the second half. The Mountaineers would force ten second half turnovers, causing the South Florida offense to stall out time and time again. Freshmen guards <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146467/jabarie-hinds">Jabarie Hinds</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146469/gary-browne">Gary Browne</a> paced the 'Eers by stealing the ball in the front court on repeated possessions to keep WVU in front for good. Browne would take a charge in the lane with less than a minute left to seal the game for the Mountaineers and forcing South Florida into repeatedly fouling.</p>
<p>While quiet in the second half, Kevin Jones put in his usual impressive days work, finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds.</p>
<p>The Mountaineers finish the regular season 19-12 overall and 9-9 in the Big East Conference. The will be either the No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Big East tournament, depending on the outcome of this evening's Seton Hall-DePaul game.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/3/3/2842168/west-virginia-vs-south-florida-bryants-perfect-day-at-the-free-throwAaron Hawley2012-03-03T12:50:16-05:002012-03-03T12:50:16-05:00West Virginia Vs. South Florida: 'Eers Lead Bulls 24-19 After 1st Half
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<p>As anticipated, today’s game in Tampa is a defensive slug fest and the Mountaineers lead the Bulls by a 24-19 margin. Made baskets have been hard to come by for both teams, who are each playing a physical game and generally succeeding in keeping the other out of the score book.</p>
<p>The always-reliable Kevin Jones leads the Mountaineers with 12 points, six coming on a pair of deep threes. Jones and his Mountaineer teammates have been double teamed all afternoon by South Florida’s aggressive help defense. Deniz Kilicli has struggled mightily against the the Bulls’ pressure, repeatedly getting knocked off the blocks and forcing bad shots. If the Bulls set out this afternoon to stymie the Mountaineer bigs, they have succeeded so far.</p>
<p>The Bulls are led by freshman point guard Anthony Collins, younger brother of former <span class="caps">WVU</span> guard JD Collins, who has a team-high six points in the first half.</p>
<p>In a game both teams desperately need to shore up their <span class="caps">NCAA</span> tournament resumes, the first team to 50 points should go home happy.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/3/3/2842075/west-virginia-vs-south-floridaAaron Hawley2012-03-03T11:39:08-05:002012-03-03T11:39:08-05:00West Virginia Vs. South Florida: Mountaineers Boost Tournament Chances With 50-44 Win
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<p>WVU improved its chances of heading to the NCAA Tournament with a win over South Florida Saturday.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/3/3/2841943/west-virginia-vs-south-florida-mountaineers-close-out-regular-seasonAaron Hawley2012-03-03T08:15:01-05:002012-03-03T08:15:01-05:00West Virginia Vs. South Florida: Mountaineers Close Out Regular Season In Tampa
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<p>Both the Bulls and the 'Eers eye NCAA tournament bids as they square off in the last regular season game of the year.</p> <p>Well, it all comes down to this. The Mountaineers have one more regular season contest remaining, Saturday's noon tipoff against South Florida. At stake for both teams is an opportunity to move solidly into the NCAA Tournament field. For the Mountaineers, it means a shot at a 9-9 record in conference and, if they get some help from DePaul, a bye in the first round of the Big East tournament. Here's what I'll be watching:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>The scoreboard.</b> It might not get a lot of work today. South Florida smothers teams with defense and will try to do the same against the Mountaineers. WVU sometimes has trouble finding good shots, so the Bulls' strengths will take direct advantage of the 'Eers weaknesses. Bob Huggins has said that the Mountaineers need to play the game into the 60s in order to win. The Bulls are rooting for a rock fight in the 40s, and they just might get it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>The standings.</b> If WVU wins and Seton Hall loses (to lowly DePaul), then the Mountaineers will earn a first-round bye and avoid playing on day one of the Big East tournament. If the Mountaineers and Pirates both win, it looks like WVU will get a shot at a tenth win against DePaul in the first game of the Big East tournament. While both outcomes could potentially benefit WVU, it's always better to move up in the standings. For that even to be an option, they've got to take care of business Saturday afternoon.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can Truck re-write the history books?</b> Senior guard Truck Bryant will go down in Mountaineer history books as a fairly successful but enigmatic player. When he's good, he's great, but when he's bad, he's god-awful. Truck looked great in his senior night game in Morgantown, and if he can keep that up, he could lead the 'Eers on a surprising run in the Big East and NCAA Tournament. If he can do that, then many in Morgantown will forget that "Truck" has been used as an expletive for most of the season.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>The ascent of DoMo.</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/144195/dominique-rutledge">Dominique Rutledge</a> has gone from starting the season on suspension and being a non-factor for the bulk of the season to being a crucial part of the equation for the Mountaineers. As the only big man left on the bench to back up Kevin Jones and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101439/deniz-kilicli">Deniz Kilicli</a>, Rutledge has been on fire of late, scoring 14 points and hauling in 18 rebounds in the last two contests. While he looks a bit out of sync on offense, he's made huge contributions on the glass and on defense. He's been a better option than Kilicli of late, a trend that seems likely to continue.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><i>For more on the West Virginia Mountaineers, stay tuned to SBNation Pittsburgh and </i><a href="http://thesmokingmusket.com" target="_blank"><i>The Smoking Musket</i>.</a></p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/3/3/2839611/west-virginia-vs-south-florida-mountaineers-close-out-regular-seasonAaron Hawley2012-03-02T08:00:47-05:002012-03-02T08:00:47-05:00West Virginia's Najee Goode Talks NFL Combine, Reflects On WVU Career
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<p>Former Mountaineer linebacker Najee Goode talks to SBNation Pittsburgh about the NFL Combine and his career as a Mountaineer.</p> <p>Former Mountaineer linebacker Najee Goode spent last weekend working out for his future employers at the NFL combine. Goode was a two-year starter in Morgantown and played a key role in a linebacking corps that helped the Mountaineers win close games down the stretch in 2011 and earn a berth in the Orange Bowl. Goode spoke to SB Nation Pittsburgh by phone to answer a few quick questions.</p>
<p><i>Football is the ultimate team game, but the combine isolates each player into individual workouts, what was that like? </i></p>
<p>It was a real eye-opener. They try and explain stuff to you about the league, to try to get you ready to come into the league. Because that’s the same also, you’re not in there with the same guys you went to college with, so pretty much you got to figure out what’s going to work for you as far as workouts and how you have to mentally get ready for a game or for practice. Because that’s pretty much what we did. We had a short practice, a short run-through, and then individual drills and stuff like that.</p>
<p><i>Without worrying too much about specific teams, what kind of situation are you looking for in the pros? </i></p>
<p>Situations as far as defenses and that sort of thing, as a player you want to go into anywhere and just try and learn everything. The best situation would for me to just get an opportunity and get in there and work hard at making the team.</p>
<p><i>Have the teams given you any feedback? </i></p>
<p>They like how I move. They want you to get the right amount of cuts and make sure that your game is fluid. Because, without that, route cutting, they just want to see that you get it right. Some of the feedback I got was to just keep working and keep up on my movement skills. A lot of guys liked how I did move. Because you got to be fluid in this game, as much hitting as it is, is as much running as it is. So, playing football, you’ve got to be good at both of them.</p>
<p><i>Did the teams or your agent give you any ideas where they think you might go?</i></p>
<p>Not yet, you know that process is long, and they don’t even know. Teams are still looking at possibilities of taking different players and so on. It’s still early in the process.</p>
<p><i>You and the rest of your fellow fifth-year seniors had three coaches in five years. What was that like? </i></p>
<p>It was a different experience, working with three different coaches. For me, I didn’t change position coaches because my defensive coach stayed, but for the offensive guys it was a little crazy, because they had to learn new systems, and just get used to everybody, because everybody’s different.</p>
<p>As a defensive captain and a defensive guy, I tried to make it easier on and off campus and talk to my friends and talk to my teammates, and no matter what happens, you pretty much stick together. It helped to the point where, when you go to NFL teams, you have to learn with different guys anyway. So for those guys on offense, when they get the opportunity, they’re familiar with just hurrying up and changing their offensive mentality.</p>
<p><i>What will you miss most about being a Mountaineer? </i></p>
<p>What I’ll miss most about it is probably the fans and the surroundings. First it’s being with my teammates and my boys, but then just the environment and stuff. Just being in college with them for four years, that family feeling within the whole school and the whole organization. An NFL team is just a team, but with college, you’ve got the school, the students and the fans. It’s a different environment.</p>
<p><i>Is there one moment that from your career at West Virginia that you’ll really look back on and cherish?</i></p>
<p>That game against Pitt [late in the 2011 season]. With us switching conferences and everything and the 2011 Mountaineers being the last Mountaineers that will play Pitt for awhile. Just the fact that I had the last sack that closed the game off, that was one of the best moments of my life. It was my senior game, it was at home in front of all my friends and family. That was a pretty special moment.</p>
<p><i><b>For more on WVU football, check out <a href="http://smokingmusket.com">The Smoking Musket</a></b></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/3/2/2837423/najee-goode-nfl-combine-wvu-west-virginia-footballAaron Hawley2012-02-24T14:44:39-05:002012-02-24T14:44:39-05:00Marquette Vs. West Virginia: Mountaineers Look To Avoid Total Collapse
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<p>Well, it all comes down to this. When WVU squares off at home against Marquette tonight, it might as well be a tournament game because if the 'Eers lose, they become prohibitive longshots to make the big dance, and deservingly so. In their last contest the team failed to emerge from the locker room after halftime and the 'Eers were run off of the court by Notre Dame. Unfortunately, Marquette is an even tougher opponant and WVU has it's work cut out for it with the season on the line. Here's what I'm watching tonight:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>A marquee match-up in the paint.</b> Kevin Jones, the only bright spot on the Mountaineers this season, will continue his quest for Big East Player of the Year, but tonight he'll square off against another one of the conference's elite big men: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123854/jae-crowder">Jae Crowder</a>. Crowder and Jones will go hard in the paint tonight and whomever wins that battle will have given his team a huge leg up. Mountaineer fans have watched in horror as Jones has been swallowed by opposing defenses lately who go all out against him. That focus wouldn't be too big of a deal except that none of the freshmen have managed to pick up the slack. Tonight, he's going to need to succeed against Crowder and get some help for WVU to win this one.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Swagger, or lack thereof.</b> John Radcliff made a great point this morning with <a href="http://www.smokingmusket.com/2012/2/24/2821211/what-this-team-really-needs" target="_blank">this post</a> on <a href="http://thesmokingmusket.com" target="_blank">The Smoking Musket</a>. Essentially, he says, this team looks like it's having no fun at all, and I agree with him. Ever since this slide began the Mountaineer have played like prisoners being nervously led to their doom and it's showed. The second they get down, you can see them hang their heads. Wednesday night's game against Notre Dame is the perfect example of this. The 'Eers started the second half down two points, but by the time they were down ten, the game was over. It didn't matter that there was still almost an entire half to play, because the Mountaineers had quit by that point. I'm terrified that's going to happen again tonight.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can Huggins shuffle his way out of this mess?</b> Head coach Bob Huggins has shuffled his lineup each of the last two games, and drastically revised his substitute rotation. Unfortunately for Huggs, he only has so many guys and none of them seem to be able to do much. He gave serious minutes to walk on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/147048/paul-williamson">Paul Williamson</a> and freshman <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146471/tommie-mccune">Tommie McCune</a> against Notre Dame, after each had barely managed to sniff the court up to that point. I don't think Huggins was rewarding them, however, and instead punishing Aaron Brown and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146472/keaton-miles">Keaton Miles</a> for not being able to push through their current setbacks. Mountaineer fans can take solace in the fact that if there is a lineup that will work (a big "if," admittedly), Huggins will find it.</span></li>
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<i>Stay tuned to SBNation Pittsburgh and <a href="http://thesmokingmusket.com" target="_blank">The Smoking Musket</a></i><i> for more on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/west-virginia-mountaineers">West Virginia Mountaineers</a></i><i>.</i>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/2/24/2822010/marquette-vs-west-virginia-mountaineers-look-to-avoid-total-collapseAaron Hawley2012-02-24T14:02:16-05:002012-02-24T14:02:16-05:00Marquette vs. West Virginia: Mountaineers Go Cold In Second Half, Fall By One
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<p>The Mountaineers struggled on the offensive end in the second half, as three suspended Marquette players re-joined their team and lead the comeback effort for the Golden Eagles.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/2/24/2822005/marquette-vs-west-virginia-mountaineers-try-to-recover-at-homeBrendan PorathAaron HawleyTim Blank2012-02-22T20:47:39-05:002012-02-22T20:47:39-05:00West Virginia Vs. Notre Dame: White Hot Irish Blow Out 'Eers, 71-44
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<p>It was a mere twenty minutes of basketball ago that WVU fan's were optimistic, with the 'Eers trailing by a mere two points at halftime. How quickly things would change. Notre Dame came out in the second half with guns blazing and quickly buried the Mountaineers with a barrage of threes as they rattled off a 20-4 run. By the time the half was only seven minutes old, it was quickly apparent that the game was effectively over.</p>
<p>For the game, Notre Dame shot a blistering 62 percent, while the Mountaineers struggled enormously, shooting 32 percent for the game. The Irish were 9-of-16 from behind the arc and seemed to hit everything they took from downtown in the second half.</p>
<p>Bob Huggins used the opportunity to give serious second half minutes to walk on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/147048/paul-williamson">Paul Williamson</a> and little-used freshman <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146471/tommie-mccune">Tommie McCune</a>. He knew the game was over even though there was plenty of time left on the clock. Kevin Jones struggled all night and scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but it was little help in the face of the Irish's scoring onslaught.</p>
<p>The Notre Dame students chanted "N-I-T" in the games waning moments, and they might be right. If the Mountaineers don't win both of their home games next week it seems certain.</p>
<p><i>For more on WVU basketball, check out the <a href="http://smokingmusket.com">Smoking Musket</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2012/2/22/2817844/west-virginia-vs-notre-dame-white-hot-irish-blow-out-eers-71-44Aaron Hawley